Tasar National Championship at Babbacombe Corinthian Sailing Club

Malcolm & Fiona Davies win the Tasar nationals at Babbacombe © Jean Border / www.borderphotos2010.com

There was an international flavour for this year's event with entrants from Cornwall, Wales and Holland as well as those from the Midlands and far South East Kent.

Due to the persistent easterlies, the venue was moved from the exposed Oddicombe Beach in Babbacombe around the corner to the sheltered harbourside in Torquay, so a big thank you to Royal Torbay Yacht Club and the harbour authorities for allowing the switch of venue.

So the 3 day event started with 6 previous National Championships vying for the vacant spot undefended by last year's runaway winners, Jeremy and Suzanne Hawkins, who were unable to attend.

2 races were sailed on the Friday in wind and waves which were uncomfortable for those on the committee boat but great for the competitors, with places to be gained (and lost) on the fast surfing planning reaches.

Fresh from their success in Torbay week just 3 weeks before, Malcolm and Fiona Davies won both races, followed in 2nd by Steve Birbeck and his neice, Hannah Sudworth, with Neil and Amy Spacagna scoring a 3rd and 4th.

A typical Babbacombe social followed in the evening.

Saturday dawned to the same conditions: windy and waves – lovely!

Malcolm and Fiona continued their dominance by winning all 3 races. Steve Birbeck suffered gear failure during their first race of the day which lead to him missing race 4 as well bur recovered to get 2nd in race 5. Neil and Amy made the most of his absence by posting 2 seconds, as did Crispin and Leslie Beaumont from Bartley Sailing Club who sailed consistently well in conditions lake sailors don't often enjoy, although a broken toe strap meant Crispin went for an involuntary swim. Both commented afterwards that some of the tips received in the post-sailing debrief in the bar helped cope with the waves.

After the AGM in the evening a BBQ/Paella meal followed with BCSC Commodore Neil Spacagna displaying his talents aren't limited to sailing as there were queues for his paella!

So to the final day on Sunday, and 3 more races to be sailed with 1st place more or less assured, but the following 3/4 places could change a lot depending on results.

Race 6: Hang on - a different winner! Rod (Buzz Lightyear) and Maureen Porteous sailed a 'blinder' to win with Birby 2nd and the Stocks moving up to a position spot with a 3rd. The Davies' slipped to 5th.

Rod Porteous impressed us all by diving off the back of his boat between races to 'rescue' Lionel (who was fine!) leaving Maureen all alone and who subsequently capsized! Those who witnessed the dive compared it to Buzz Lightyear! Toy Story will never seem quite the same again!

Race 7: Normal service resumed as Malcolm and Fiona won again and didn't need to compete in race 8, so headed home. Rupert and Geoff Stock posted a 2nd, as they did in Race 8 and the Beaumonts for two 3rds with Spacagnas dropping to 9th. So the field opens up a tad!

Race 8: Has to be a new winner, which turned out to be Steve Birbeck. The Lancasters on the new boat clinched their second best result with a 4th.

Prizegiving held in Royal Torbay Yacht Club's lovely building overlooking the bay with prizes, trophies and gifts courtesy of sponsors 'Signal Locker' and 'Torquay Real Estate' duly distributed, all dispersed ready to participate in 'Barts Bash' the following weekend and the Tasar Inland Championships on October 4/5 at Wimbleball Lake.

Other prizes awarded were:

• Rolling Pin and Masters trophies to Malcolm and Fiona Davies
• Ladies Prize to Fiona Davies
• Junior Prize to Hannah Sudworth
• Grand Masters Prize to Rod and Maureen Porteous

Overall Results:

Photos can be found at www.borderphotos2010.com